Nassau Nights
by Noah's Ship
Summary: A vacation in a tropical paradise gives two people some much-needed rest, relaxation - and something neither one of them ever expected. J/E. Rated T for language/themes. (In progress)
1. Vacation

_**AN:** Loosely based off of my experience in Nassau. I don't own the characters, locations, etc.!_

 _xXxXx_

Eric had been down on his luck since he got back from Africa.

Teaching had proved to be a major bust. It only took him a few weeks to realize that it was definitely not his calling after all.

Donna had all but told him to go screw himself when he told her about his change of heart. " _If you really just spent a year in Africa for practically nothing, why the hell should I be wasting any more or_ _my_ _time?_ _"_ He recalled her words with a shudder.

The basement gang of his youth had gone their separate ways. Kelso and Brooke were raising their daughter in Chicago. Fez was touring around the country as a backup dancer for various pop bands. Hyde was supposedly holed up somewhere in Canada, hiding from "the man". Donna had left Wisconsin far behind, determined to see what the world had to offer.

But Jackie could be seen most nights, giving live reports for the Kenosha News station.

Feeling like he had hit rock bottom, Eric was living with his parents and desperate for a steady income. Kitty had welcomed him back with open arms and a fresh batch of cookies, but Red was making him pay rent now. _What was up with that?_

After making countless calls to every business he could think of, Eric finally caught a break when he got called back by 'Kenosha Insurers, Inc.'. He didn't know a thing about insurance, but it was too hard to pass up on an actual paycheck. _There was even a health plan! Sweet!_

 _xXxXx_

Jackie was tired of being in front of the camera. Sure, the reporting totally came naturally to her. And yes, it was nice to know that countless male eyes were fixed on her four nights of the week at 8 pm. _But if she didn't get a vacation soon, somebody was going to get a kick in the shins, dammit!_

"Tom, I just won't do it anymore. I won't give another damn report unless you give me some time off!" Jackie told the station's producer, with exaggerated fury.

"Okay okay! All you had to do was ask, Jackie." Tom threw his hands in the air as a sign of surrender. Jackie smiled cheerfully, threw her hot pink purse, and strutted away. _Like taking candy from a baby_ , she thought to herself.

As she made her way to her apartment in the trusty Mustang, Jackie thought of what exotic destination she'd escape to for a week or two. With all the money she'd saved up, she would be spending plenty of time on a beautiful beach somewhere.

 _xXxXx_

Health Insurance, Disability, Premiums, Group Rates, Term Life Policies, and a lot more. It was all coming together for Eric Forman, who had a real knack for numbers.

Eric's duties were split between making calculations and writing reports in his cubicle, and driving to various businesses around the Kenosha area to either gain new clients or to check in on old ones.

The old Vista Cruiser finally gave out under the stress of all the miles Eric was putting on it, so he went out and bought a 1975 Ford Bronco. _"_ _Just call me_ _'_ _Han Solo_ _'_ _, because I_ _'_ _m behind the wheel of a total chick-magnet now!_ _"_ Eric thought to himself with nerdy pride.

He was writing new business for the company left and right, and the extra effort hadn't gone unnoticed. Jim Kirkland, Eric's boss and the head of the insurance company had been so pleased that he gave Eric a hefty promotion after just five short months.

"Listen, Forman. You've done impressive work in you short time here. I can honestly say that you're a valuable asset to this company." With a smile, Jim added, "And I hope you won't be opposed to tagging along on our annual, expenses-paid trip. This year, we're heading down the the Bahamas."

Eric's eyes lit up as he shook the hand of the grey-haired man standing before him. _The_ _Bahamas_ _? Expenses-paid?_ "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Mr. Kirkland."

This little vacation would be just what he needed.

 _xXxXx_

Jackie was curled up on the couch in comfy yoga pants and a loose t-shirt. Since things had fizzled out between her and Fez, she had been living in a cozy one-bedroom apartment. Of course the decor looked like something out of a magazine.

Like most nights of the week, Jackie was winding down by drinking a couple glasses of wine and watching TV. The local news had just ended and she began flipping through a fashion magazine when an advertisement for bathing suits caught her eye.

It wasn't the bikinis that caught Jackie's attention, but the turquoise water and white beaches in the background. The caption in the lower corner read: "Paradise Island, the Bahamas".

 _That_ _is where I_ _'_ _m going on vacation_ , she decided with a grin.

 _xXxXx_

"Mom. Dad. Guess where the company is taking me on vacation next month! The Bahamas!" Eric was beaming as he sat in his parents' living room.

"Oh honey, that's fantastic!" Kitty shrieked, clapping her hands together. She had known Eric was doing well at work, but this was impressive.

Red, eyebrow raised, looked slightly interested as he sat in his chair. "I hear they've got pretty good beer. You better bring a case back, or you'll get a foot in the ass."

Eric's eyes widened and he let out a nervous laugh at his father's threat.

"I think this calls for a celebration! Who wants brownies after dinner?" Kitty asked, standing up and walking toward the kitchen.

As Kitty began cooking, Red looked over at his son with a renewed interest. "Son, this trip is a real opportunity for you." He rubbed the back of his head, seeming conflicted about what to say. "…Now I don't normally believe in accepting things for free, but there's some damn good fishing down there. If you're going to be spending someone else's money, you'd better do something worth bragging about."

Eric was completely uninterested in spending his entire trip going fishing, but was afraid to come across as a wimp to his dad. "Uh yeah, I'll definitely go out and catch a huge one. I mean, what kind of man wouldn't?"

Red nodded in approval and Kitty poked her head back into the living room. "Okay, boys. Let's eat!"

 _xXxXx_

 _Neon colors, floral patterns, extremely thin straps, bikinis, one-pieces. None of these will do!_ Jackie was getting frustrated by the selection of bathing suits in this particular department store. "It's like they want people to look like trolls.." she muttered to herself as she continued scouring racks, searching for the perfect garment.

She had been meticulously planning the details of her vacation. Jackie had made several phone calls, finding out what the best activities and hottest locations were. Her flight was in two weeks, and she was almost completely prepared. She even had an incredibly glamorous passport photo. All that was left was the bathing suit.

All hope had nearly been lost when Jackie spotted it. The bikini seemed to call to her from the rack. A black top with straps interwoven across the back, and a hot pink bottom that screamed "Princess" - this was perfect!

Jackie snatched the bikini off the rack and went to check out, feeling proud that she'd gotten the only good deal in the entire store.


	2. One Hell of a View

**AN:** Time to dust this baby off and see what happens….

xXx

As the days until his flight counted down, Eric had anxiously gathered together all of his supplies for the big trip. Toiletries? _Check._ Enough clothes to last a full week? _Check._ Star Wars swim trunks? _Bitchin'!_

After checking through the grey suitcase one more time, he set it at the foot of his bed and breathed a sigh of relief. _It's just for a week, Forman,_ he told himself. _You survived a year on another continent, so this should be a walk in the park!_

Realizing there was no point in stressing himself out about it now, Eric decided to go ahead and go to bed early. _After all, tomorrow is the big day!_

xXxXx

Jackie was walking into the airport, ticket in hand, when she realized that there was hardly anybody there. For a saturday morning at the beginning of the summer, she had expected it to be crawling with angry parents and crying babies.

 _Maybe this means security won't be a hassle,_ she prayed to herself as she made her way to the security gate.

It may have just been out of boredom, but the rotund guard on duty decided that Jackie's five bags needed to be checked.

"Ma'am, I'm going to need you step over to this table so I can check your bags," the pudgy man said, eyeing how her sundress hugged her waist perfectly.

Jackie looked around, silently fuming. "That won't be a problem." _Asshole._

The heavy-set security guard took his time going through each bag, and Jackie was patting herself on the back for deciding to get to the airport early. When the man made it to the bag that contained her underwear, he moved like a turtle as he carefully examined each garment.

"Well goodness gracious. How do you squeeze into these tiny things?" he asked, holding up Jackie's favorite pair of black lace panties.

"I manage, somehow." _Pig!_ It took every ounce of her strength not to knee this pervert in the groin, but instead she just smiled and kept her composure. In Jackie's line of work, this kind of harassment wasn't uncommon, and she would be damned if she let this meaty-fingered jackass keep her from getting on that plane.

Once he stuffed her belongings back in their respective bags, Jackie wasted no time putting distance between herself and him. With that unpleasantness out of the way, she just needed to find her gate.

xXxXx

Eric was roused from a dreamless sleep by the blaring screech of his alarm clock. _9:30 am._ With his flight leaving in just an hour and a half, Eric got cleaned up and bounded downstairs with his suitcase in hand.

Red and Kitty looked up at him from their usual spots in the living room. Eric's mother jumped up and ran to give him a goodbye hug.

"Eric, honey, you be sure to take lots of pictures! You never know what memories you'll have to look back on later." Kitty kissed his cheek, while Red simply raised a beer to him.

"Remember, son. A big fish, and some good beer." Red turned back to the television, not giving his son so much as a wave.

"I'll be sure to do that, Mom. And uh… yeah, Dad, I couldn't agree more… I guess I'll see you guys in a week!"

Eric threw his bag in the back of the powder blue Bronco. He was feeling unexpectedly nervous about leaving the country again. After what he came back to last time, Eric just couldn't get rid of the feeling that his world would be shaken up by the time he got back.

After rolling down the windows and backing out of his parents' driveway, Eric turned on the radio. 'Hotel California' by the Eagles came on and he let his mind wander as the song played.

 _On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair_

 _Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air_

 _Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light_

 _My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim_

 _I had to stop for the night…_

Eric made it to the airport with half an hour to get to his flight. After picking up his ticket at the front desk and getting through security without any trouble at all, he checked a conveniently posted map of the airport and then made his way to the gate.

xXxXx

As he boarded the plane, Eric spotted several of his coworkers all seated together. Jim Kirkland, his middle-aged boss, was sitting with his wife Katherine. Across the aisle from them were Eileen andMarsha, the two bubbly secretaries. In front of the young women, Mitch Sheffield and his fiancée Hillary were holding hands and chatting to the themselves. Eric and Mitch had become pretty good friends during their daily conversations around the water cooler, and Eric was happy to see his wavy-haired coworker. Mitch waved to Eric and gave a charming smile.

In front of Jim and Katherine, and in the seat next to Eric's, was Megan Kelly. _Hot damn! Thank god for this seating arrangement!_ Eric tried to keep his cool as he made his way closer to the group.

Megan was a fairly recent hire as well, and Eric took a liking to her almost immediately. She was tall and slender, with perfectly tanned skin and gorgeous shoulder-length brunette hair. Eric had spent many days listening to her talk on the phone in the cubicle next to his, and he thought that she had the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard.

Eric was beaming as he took his seat. _So what if I've never_ _actually_ _expressed any kind of interest in Megan? This has to be a sign that this trip is going to be awesome!_

 _xXxXx_

Jackie was reclined with a sleep mask shielding her eyes from the light coming through the small window when a voice came over the intercom and announced that they would be arriving at the Nassau International Airport in just a few minutes.

As she slid the satin mask from her face, she looked through the window to her left and saw turquoise water that seemed to go on forever. _Now_ _that_ _is one hell of a view!_

Within half an hour, she was off the plane and making her way through the customs line. As she worked her way through an exhaustive maze of velvet ropes, Jackie ran through a mental checklist of what all she was going to do for the rest of the day.

"Alright, Ms. Burkhart. Everything seems to be in order. Welcome to the Bahamas." The man behind the counter gave the petite woman a toothy smile and then signaled for the next party in line.

"Thank you so much!" Jackie shook the customs officer's hand and grabbed the worn handle of her luggage cart. The small wheels of the cart squeaked under the weight of her bags as Jackie made her way to the pick-up area just outside of the main doors.


	3. Roommates

_**AN:**_ _I can't help but laugh at the 'Megan Kelly' coincidence. Maybe this was a sign that I don't watch the news enough! Haha anyway, there shouldn't be any more Fox News slip-ups (hopefully) ;)_

 _xXxXx_

Eric was blown away by not only the views from the plane, but the laid-back feel of the airport. The walls were covered in cheerful pastel colors, and the whole place felt light and airy. Everyone that worked there seemed so nice, and he found the large group of taxi and limo drivers standing just outside of the front doors to be especially exciting.

Jim Kirkland took it upon himself to step to the front of the group and make a quick announcement. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to paradise! Now, I'll only have the best for my employees, so we're definitely going to show up to the resort in style."

Everyone in the group perked up even more as Jim called over one of suit-clad drivers. Eric made sure to stay close to Megan as the group was ushered into a glossy white limousine. _This is the life! A beautiful woman_ _and_ _a fancy ride._ He was barely off of the plane, but this trip was already off to a great start.

"So, Megan, what are you most excited about this week?" Eric leaned back on the bench seat and tried to look cool as he spoke to the beauty next to him.

She pushed some of her lightly-curled hair behind her ear and looked over at Eric with those stunning brown eyes. He could swear her eyes could see right into his soul. "You know, I think I'll be spending plenty of time on the beach. I'd love to do some dancing one night, though. How about you?"

 _Crap, I didn't think of an answer for my own question!_ Eric looked at her with a clueless expression for a second before managing to let out a response. "What you said sounds great, so I think I might have to just steal your answer!"

From across the car, Mitch couldn't help but chuckle as he watched his friend look like a fish out of water. "Hey, Forman. Maybe you could be a gentleman and be Megan's dance partner. It'd be awfully sad if she had to hit the dance floor alone." Mitch shot Eric a wink and stretched his arm around his fiancée's shoulder.

"That's not a bad idea. What do you say, Eric? Want to dance with me?" Megan was looking at him with that entrancing gaze once again.

"Er…Yeah, that would be..fun!" _Is it getting hot in this limo?_ Eric wiped a few beads of sweat from his forehead. Mitch leaned over to whisper in Hillary's ear and they both laughed.

The rest of the the ride to the resort was filled with chatting and pointing at the amazing scenery just outside the limousine's windows.

 _xXxXx_

Jackie had been lying on the spacious hotel bed for almost an hour. Once she'd gotten checked in and had all of her luggage unpacked just the way she wanted it, she decided to take a while to relax before getting into the details of her itinerary.

There weren't too many travel agents in Wisconsin that managed trips to the Bahamas, but Jackie wanted to make sure she got the most out of her much-needed vacation. The well-traveled agent she met with told her that there happened to be another group from Kenosha flying down that same week, and that their schedule for the week was filled with plenty of entertainment.

Jackie had been hesitant to tag along with another group, but changed her mind after she was told some of the events that were planned for the week.

 _Sight-seeing, snorkeling, shopping in the market, deep-sea fishing, and dancing._

All she'd have to do was add or drop a few things, and it'd be a perfect week!

As she lay on the bed, enjoying the cool breeze from the open window, she couldn't help but wonder what the group of people she'd be tagging along with would be like. "Maybe they won't be totally miserable. God knows I couldn't handle being with a bunch of grannies all week…" she mumbled herself, eyes closed.

 _xXxXx_

The resort was far nicer than Eric had hoped. Each of the rooms was larger than any hotel room he'd ever stayed in. There was a restaurant with a bar and dance floor, and the whole place was full of the tropical flair Eric was starting to love. Best of all was the fact that the only thing separating the resort complex from the beach was a pool that looked ideal for that super cool tan he was planning on getting.

Eric was pulled out of a daze when Jim came up and placed a meaty hand on his shoulder.

"Forman, it looks like there's a slight problem with rooming situation. The guy at the front desk says that because so many people have booked rooms this week, groups can't have someone staying in a room by themselves."

"Really? But if you already booked the rooms, can they change it?" Eric had worked in as a hotel waiter briefly, but he didn't know a whole lot of booking policies.

"Yeah, well, they said it'd save me money so I couldn't really argue!" The stout man let out a hearty laugh and stepped away to say something to the guy at the desk.

Eric wasn't too concerned about Jim's news. He didn't understand how it would have an affect on his sleeping arrangement. That quickly changed when Mitch came up and gave a run-down of the rooming plans.

"So, man, word around the lobby is that the rooms are getting all shaken up." He arched a thick eyebrow at Eric and smirked.

"Uh, yeah, I heard. No big deal though, right?" Eric couldn't figure out why his friend was doing that thing he does where he looks like he knows a secret.

"Don't you get it, dude? There's only two beds in each room, and nobody can stay in a room by themselves…" Eric still had a clueless look on his face, so Mitch blew air out of his nose and went on. "Eileen and Marsha were going to have a room, Jim and his wife have one, and I get a room with that foxy lady with a rock on her finger. I'd say you could stay in our room, but something tells me you're not wanting to sleep with earplugs…"

Slowly but surely, Eric started to get what Mitch was saying. The more he understood, the more he became visibly disturbed. "No way, man. You're right about the earplugs, but I couldn't share a room with Megan all week!"

Eric spun around dramatically, and was met with a stunning pair of brown eyes. "What's the matter, Eric? I was thinking we'd make pretty good roommates."

 _xXxXx_

Jackie was lounging at the hotel bar, sipping on a sweet piña colada. From her seat, she could just barely see the front desk. Vacationers had been checking in and out fairly steadily and she'd only been slightly paying attention until she saw a large man in a Hawaiian shirt lead group of eight into the lobby. The group was partly out of sight and had their backs turned, but she watched with curiosity as they got checked in. _There's something really familiar about that brown head of hair…but that guy isn't near as lanky as the only guy I ever knew to have such a dorky haircut._

 _xXxXx_

 _ **AN:**_ _This update has been a long time coming, but I'm very glad to be working on it again! I was definitely going out on a limb with the whole hotel room bit, but what can I say? Bahamian hotel policies in the 80's were pretty tricky ;)_

 _I'm looking forward to your feedback! Read, Review, and Enjoy!_


	4. Better Than The Song

After they had checked in, the group went their separate ways to get unpacked. Eric did everything he could think of to keep the awkwardness to a minimum.

"You know, I never really saw myself coming to a place like this. Africa was pretty cool, but it was far from a vacation." Eric tried to get a conversation going.

"I know what you mean," she sighed. "After my parents split when I was little, vacations were pretty much out of the question. But it's all good now." She shot Eric a smile, and he had absolutely no idea what to say to that.

 _Well, this is awkward._

Eric spent a laughable amount of time staring at his hands while he and his new roommate unpacked their suitcases. He'd occasionally glance across the room at Megan, and the contents of her luggage made him even more nervous.

Bikinis, sundresses, and lacy undergarments that Donna wouldn't have been caught dead wearing.

 _Oh my god… This is nuts! Princess Leia is my roommate, and I'm supposed to keep my cool?_

Megan noticed Eric's glances. "So, Eric, you're going to come swimming with the rest of us, right?

Eric recalled the group's plan to unwind after the flight. "Uh, yeah. I wouldn't mind relaxing for a while." _Besides, how could I pass up an opportunity to see you in one of those bathing suits?_ He shook the thought from his mind and finished unpacking as Megan stepped into the bathroom to change.

When she came out, Eric saw that she had slipped into a lime green bikini. The suit hugged her modest curves well, and he thought she had stepped right off the cover of a magazine.

"You better go change quickly, Eric," she said, batting her eyelashes. "I'll need a hand with this sun-tan lotion."

 _xXxXx_

The large, rectangular pool proved to be the perfect place for Jackie Burkhart to read the handful of fashion magazines she had brought. Reclining in a white deck chair, she felt the gentle Caribbean breeze raise small bumps along her thighs.

 _This really is paradise! Maybe I can take my time enjoying this peace and quiet before meeting up with that group from Kenosha…_

She was wearing the black and pink swim suit she'd bought specifically for this trip, even though she wasn't planning on swimming just then. Instead, she'd thrown on a simple floral coverup, a fashionable wide-brimmed hat, and some large sunglasses. Even in the simple moments, she had to look fabulous. She ordered another piña colada, easy on the rum, from a waiter. _These drinks are damn good! Even better than the song makes them out to be._

Jackie went on flipping the pages of her periodicals when she heard the sound of a cheerful group step out of the large doors from the lobby and onto the pool deck.

Eyeing the group from over the top of a magazine, Jackie watched from her deck chair as a familiar-looking set of people began to make their way down the steps into the water.

A chubby, boisterous man splashed his wife. A pair of girls close to Jackie's age giggled as they floated out across the shimmering water. A handsome man lent a hand to a very voluptuous woman as she eased herself down the stairs, attempting to keep her strong curls dry.

Standing near the edge of the pool was a woman who, compared to the others, seemed out of place. She was tall and slim with unbelievably perfect skin. Jackie didn't know whether to hate her and become her best friend.

But standing behind the offensively gorgeous woman, applying lotion to her shoulders ever so carefully, was none other than…

"Eric Forman?" Jackie murmured the confused question to herself. _What on earth is he doing here? Is he with the model? When did he start working out?_

Jackie was surprised at herself for even thinking about such a thing. But without realizing it, her eyes drifted once again to his bulkier form.

Eric was wearing a simple pair of navy blue trunks. They ended just above his knees and didn't look too shabby. He was very intently working the lotion into the woman's back, and Jackie was more than a little surprised to see his newfound arm muscles flex in the process.

She then watched as they joined the others in the pool. Hidden behind a magazine and her shades, Jackie watched curiously as Eric swam around. He joked with the handsome man, and tried in vain to seem cool in front of the tan woman he'd walked up with.

Maybe it was out of curiosity. Maybe Jackie just liked to be dramatic. It didn't matter. When Eric ended up resting against the edge of the pool just in front of Jackie's chair, she saw an opportunity and took it. Jackie leaned up, pulled her sunglasses down to expose her eyes, and cleared her throat to get his attention.

"After all these years, you still don't know how to be smooth with a woman? I'm almost disappointed, Eric."

 _xXxXx_

What on earth is she doing here? _It just doesn't make any sense. Of all people to run into, why does Jackie Burkhart have to be the one to make the cut?_

Eric was beyond dumbstruck. His jaw had hardly left the ground as he watched Jackie walk over to greet his boss. He didn't hear all of their exchange but he did make out "we talked on the phone" and "tagging along". It was enough to make his stomach turn.

"Whoa, man! Who's the fox? She looks pretty familiar." Mitch asked noisily before taking a sip of his beer.

Eric couldn't find any words. Jim Kirkland turned toward his employees and said a few words. "Everybody, this little lady is Jackie Burkhart. You may recognize that winning smile from our local news channel. She's come all the way down here from Kenosha too, and she'll be hanging around with us during our stay." Everyone except for Eric happily greeted her.

Things didn't get much better for Eric when the entire group eventually dried off and made their way to the restaurant inside. Jim had asked Jackie to tag along, and she was more than happy to oblige. Somehow – by either bad luck or a devious scheme – Eric found himself sitting at the corner of the group's table; Megan was sitting to his left, and Jackie was directly across from him, looking like she might devour him with that peppy smile of hers.

 _This is like something out of a nightmare! It was bad enough that she's staying in the same building, but now she's going to be with us all week…_ Eric imagined all the ways the little she-devil could make this trip miserable for him.

"So, Jackie? Are you from Wisconsin originally?" It had been Megan to speak up, much to Eric's discomfort.

"Well actually, I'm from this little town called Point Place. But I'm living in Kenosha at the moment." Jackie grinned at Megan's question, and raised an eyebrow as she glanced at Eric.

Mitch, who was listening from a couple seats over, chimed in. "Isn't that where you're from, Forman?"

Eric had really been counting on it taking longer for his coworker to piece things together. "Well yeah, sorta-"

"Oh yeah, Eric and I have known each other for years. Actually, you could say that we were even friends growing up." Jackie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at the group.

 _When were we ever friends? Sure, we bickered. And joked around with each other. And gave each other advice and support every once in a while. But that's not what friends do – right?_

 _xXxXx_

The stream of questions continued to fly as the group enjoyed freshly caught seafood, and Jackie was more than happy to tell them all stories that involved Eric and the old basement gang. She came to the realization that with their old friends scattered on the wind, and Donna happily out of his life, Eric had decided to just put his past behind him.

The group of vacationers had been in the cozy restaurant for almost two hours. They'd discussed everything from business and the weather, to Jim's upcoming wedding. Eileen and Marsha talked about how their dating lives were going. Megan seemed especially interested in hearing about Jackie's youth in Point Place. The two women talked more to themselves, unintentionally leaving Eric right in the middle.

"You know, my teen years were a lot of fun. Eric's parents practically raised me for a while. I made a lot of great memories, but there are some things that weren't as fun to go through.." Jackie trailed off. Megan looked at her with sympathetic eyes and Jackie felt at ease again.

"I made the mistake of dating guys that I thought I could fix. Like, Michael Kelso. He was my first real love, but it took becoming a father for him to learn how to appreciate the value of a woman. And don't even get me started on Steven." Jackie was starting to feel like she could really open up to Megan.

"I know what you mean, girl. My high school years were spent with guys who only wanted one thing." Both women let out a laugh of understanding.

Jackie thought about all the different relationships that sprung up and died down over the years. "None of those guys ever really wanted the same things I wanted. Sure, I enjoyed all of the physical stuff. Who doesn't? But they weren't trying to build a solid foundation with me, and I kept getting burned because of it."

Megan reached over the table, and over Eric's empty plate, and placed her hand on Jackie's. "I know we've only just met, but I can tell that you deserve so much better than you've gotten in the past. There's a guy out there who can give you those things. You just haven't found him yet."

 _Who is this girl? She's either my long-lost sister, or my fairy godmother. Hell, she may just be a bit of both!_

 _xXxXx_

Eric had been slumped down in his chair for the majority of the ladies' conversation. Once he realized he wasn't involved in any way, he just sat back and tried not to listen to what they were saying.

Something about Jackie's words caught Eric's attention, though. Hearing her talk about why her previous relationships failed made him reflect on the last breakup with Donna. He traced the dark wood grain on the tabletop with his finger as he questioned whether their relationship had ever been a good one.

He'd known for a long time that they had only been together out of convenience. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. But when she told him it was really over, he had just placed the blame for their split on himself and decided to move on with his life. Now, Eric wondered if maybe it wasn't anyone's fault. Maybe it worked out the way it was supposed to.

 _I'm honestly not sure if I ever_ _loved_ _Donna. She was the 'girl next door', the lifelong friend who felt familiar and safe. There weren't many times we were on the same page, though. Maybe we didn't break up because I wasn't free-spirited enough. We just weren't the right people for each other at all._

Eric snapped out of his daze when everyone started to get up from the table. As he stood up and pushed in his chair, Megan leaned over and said, "I just love Jackie! She's so down to earth!"

 _Down to earth. Megan must've met a completely different Jackie Burkhart than the one I grew up around._

It was now pretty late in the evening, and clearly time for everyone to go their separate ways for the night. Eric had stepped back out by the pool deck to collect his thoughts when he heard his name being called from behind him.

Jackie was standing next to one of the deck chairs, her doe eyes shimmering from the light of a few tiki torches. "Hey, Eric, can we talk for a second?"

 _xXxXx_

 _ **AN:**_ _Holy crap, this was fun to write. I'm trying to get into more of a groove with the pacing of this story._

 _Anyway, let me know what you think about it! Read, Review, and Enjoy :-)_


	5. Daydreaming

"Hey, Eric, can we talk for a second?"

The question had slipped out before Jackie even realized what she was saying. The torchlight surrounding the pool swallowed them both in an intimate glow.

Eric turned to see the familiar voice that called to him. His voice caught in his throat as he took in the sight of her. Eric did his best to hide the fact that, if only for a split second, he thought Jackie looked beautiful.

"Uh, sure… I guess I've got some time." Jackie could tell he was just as surprised as she was.

She effortlessly gathered her coverup under her and sat down on a nearby deck chair. Eric stayed still for a bit longer before taking a seat just a few feet away from her. Jackie watched the light flicker against his green eyes, struggling to find something to say.

"So, Eric. Of all the guys in the basement, I never would have expected you to be the one to follow me out of the country." She batted her eyelashes in mock-flirtation.

"Well…at least I wasn't the one skulking around, watching people swim." He stammered a response, obviously trying to figure out where this was going.

"Yeah, yeah. I was just trying to figure out why you're here instead of stuck up Donna's ass like you always wanted to be."

 _I probably could_ _'_ _ve worded that a little better_ _…_

Jackie knew all about the final split up of the 'Golden Couple', of course. She was one of the first people to find out. She'd been more than a little happy that she wasn't the only one without a perfect happily-ever-after.

Eric was at a loss for words. He was staring at his hands, his thumbs rubbing at a non-existent spot on the navy trunks. Jackie couldn't tell whether he was about to laugh or cry, but his facial expression wasn't one that made her feel better.

"You know she left. Hell, you probably helped her pack. And yeah, I realize I spent way too much time jumping through hoops for her. But she decided I was somehow wasting her time. So excuse me for actually moving on with my life."

His words came off as harsh, but his voice was hardly any different from normal. If it hadn't been for the way his jaw kept tightening and his nostrils flared, Jackie would've thought that he was indifferent to all of it.

"I didn't mean it like that, Eric." Jackie spoke softly, hoping to keep the conversation from getting worse. "But I'm not wrong, am I?"

 _Why do I always have to be right? Why didn_ _'_ _t I just leave it how it was?_

"No. You're not. And on that note, I think I'm going to head on to bed." Eric stood up, and headed toward his room. All the peace and acceptance he'd built up over dinner was steadily crumbling.

Jackie watched him walk away, deep in thought as she watched shadows dance across the muscles of his back.

 _I_ _'_ _ll be damned if Eric Forman thinks he_ _'_ _ll get to stay mad at me this entire trip!_

 _xXxXx_

 _Where the hell did that come from?_

Eric was still reeling from his brief conversation with Jackie when he got to the hotel room. As he opened the door, he was greeted by the faint sound of a running shower. Relieved that he wouldn't have to force a smile during a conversation with Megan, Eric threw himself onto his bed and tried – in vain – to fall asleep.

Megan eventually came out of the bathroom, accompanied by an impressive cloud of steam. Eric hear her humming softly and cracked an eye open. He saw that she was dressed in a soft blue nightgown, and that her hair was wrapped up in a towel.

 _How do girls do that towel thing?_

Eric thought he must've been a pretty convincing fake sleeper because Megan didn't waste much time climbing into her own bed and flicking off the lamp that separated the two of them. In the dark, Eric's mind wandered much more freely than it had before.

He thought about Donna, and what she might be doing at that exact moment. To his surprise, Eric realized that he didn't care.

He thought about Megan, and Mitch, and the rest of his coworkers. He was happy to have found a job that took his mind off things.

He thought about Jackie. The midget. The She-Devil. The spoiled little girl that had grown up in his basement. The woman who seemed to always be one step ahead of the curve. _Where does she get off bringing up Donna like that? Is she trying to ruin my vacation before the first day is even over?_

 _Has she always looked so_ _…_ _What? No way. I_ _'_ _m totally not thinking about_ _her_ _like that._

Eric let out a low groan as he rolled over, hugging a pillow to his chest.

After waking up several times during the night, Eric stared at the red blur coming from the alarm clock until his vision came into focus. 6:23 a.m. _That_ _'_ _ll have to do._

Making sure to slide out of bed as quietly as possible, Eric tip-toed to the bathroom to take care of his usual morning routine. Thankfully, Megan was still asleep when he stepped back into the cool darkness of the main room.

Eric was nearly to the door to go outside when he looked down and saw a small slip of paper. It had clearly been pushed under the door. He picked the paper up and brought it close to his face to read it.

The side he was looking at simply said 'Eric' , with a heart dotting the 'i'. He flipped the paper over and read a short note.

 _Sorry for last night._

 _I_ _'_ _m looking forward to the rest of the week._

 _See you at breakfast!_

 _\- Jackie_

Eric traced the swirly signature at the bottom with his thumb, doing his best not to read into the message too much.

 _xXxXx_

It was a little after 9 a.m. when Eric was shaken from his sleep. Mitch was standing over him, looking both concerned and amused by the sight in front of him.

"Forman, man, wake up! Have you been out here all night?"

 _Shit! I must_ _'_ _ve dozed off on the pool chair_ _…_ _Did I miss breakfast?_

Eric shook his head as he sat up. He realized that the note had been lying on his chest as he slept. "Nah. I just came out here to get some fresh air.."

"Whatever you say, dude. The group wanted me to come over and make sure you're alright. We're all heading in to get some breakfast."

Looking over at the hotel's large outer doors, Eric now noticed Megan and Mitch's fiancee, Hillary, watching the two guys with concerned looks. Mitch gave the ladies a thumbs-up and they stepped inside.

"Come on, man. Let's get in there before before all the coffee's gone." Mitch reached out his hand and pulled Eric to his feet. He couldn't help but laugh as Eric tried to rub the sleepiness from his eyes.

Inside, the two men found that everyone was following the same seating arrangement as the evening before. Eric couldn't help but feel like it was all a set-up.

 _Why else would I have to sit across from Jackie_ _again_ _?_

 _xXxXx_

Jackie was being poured a cup of coffee when Eric came through the door following his friend. She thought he looked a little worse for wear, but knew he'd get over it if the attention wasn't on him all morning.

"So how'd everybody sleep? I don't know about you guys, but that was the best night's sleep I've had in a while." Jackie gave a satisfied smile to the group at her end of the long table.

Megan, after taking a sip of the fresh coffee, chimed in, "I slept pretty well, too. Though now I'm worried that I snore, and poor Eric preferred to sleep out by the pool than listen to it."

Eric tried to assure her that there was no snoring to worry about, but it was pretty clear that he was struggling to come up with a decent reason for why he was sleeping outdoors.

 _It looks like it_ _'_ _s Jackie to the rescue, as usual._

"I'm sure Eric was just taking a walk to enjoy this amazing weather. Hearing the waves come in on the beach, and feeling that warm breeze probably makes for a great night's sleep. Hell, I may have to try sleeping outside at some point."

Eric looked at Jackie in disbelief. He couldn't believe that she – the she-devil of Point Place – had kept the events of the previous night to herself. There was hardly any time to think about it before the conversation moved on to other things, including what everyone had planned for the day.

The Kirklands were planning on going into the city to do some shopping, while Eileen and Marsha had read in a brochure about a nearby lagoon that was perfect for snorkeling. Jackie mentioned wanting to go to the beach, and made it known that anyone on her end of the table was more than welcome.

Mitch's ear perked up at the mention of the beach, and he turned quickly to Hillary. "What do you say, baby-cakes? I've never swam in the ocean before. Maybe we could find some cool shells while we're out there."

"I'll do anything you want to, honey-bunch." They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed right there at the table. Everybody else became suddenly interested in the food on their own plates.

Eventually, Megan looked back up at Jackie and said, "I wouldn't mind tagging along with you, Jackie. I'd really love to chat with you some more." The two women had large grins on their faces.

The only person who hadn't given any indication of his plan for the day was Eric, who had been stirring his cup of coffee with a spoon for much of the discussion. It had occurred to him that the excitement he'd felt about spending this awesome vacation with his beautiful coworker had all but vanished. Jackie just had to come along and bring up things that Eric wanted to stay in the past. Sure, she was right about some things, but that didn't give her the right to just come into his life and point it out…

He was pulled back to reality when a hand reached across the table and pulled the spoon from his hand. Following the hand up to the face of the person it belonged to, Eric's eyes met Jackie's for the first time all morning. Her gaze left butterflies in his stomach.

"What about you, Eric. Are you coming with us? Or are you going to spend all day daydreaming?" She pointed the spoon at him accusingly, but her giggling put him at ease.

Eric downed the well-stirred coffee before saying, "It doesn't sound like I have much of a choice. The beach it is!"


	6. Such a Dweeb

Eric didn't expect the water to be so warm. When he had followed Donna to California, the ocean had been anything but warm and pleasant. Now, Eric felt his muscles relax as he waded into the turquoise water. Mitch and Hillary had moved up the beach a short distance, but their laughs carried to Eric's ears as they splashed each other.

Nothing had prepared him for just how beautiful the Bahamas truly were. The small brochure that Eric's boss had passed around the office didn't come close to showing the serenity of the islands.

Even though Eric wasn't much of an outdoorsman, he'd been to a few of the lakes near Point Place and even out onto Lake Michigan a couple of times. Compared to those, the water here was impossibly clear and inviting.

 _God, this is amazing! Why didn't I take up insurance sooner?_

When the water came up to his chest, Eric let himself float, bobbing up and down with the gentle waves. As he reclined, he looked toward the beach and saw Jackie lying on her stomach on a towel. Megan was by her side, and he thought the two of them would fit perfectly on some magazine cover. Jackie had those big sunglasses on again and Eric couldn't be certain, but he had the feeling he was being watched.

 _xXxXx_

"Isn't this weather just amazing? I don't think I've ever been somewhere quite so perfect!" Megan looked over at the her new friend with a grin.

Jackie didn't turn her head away from the water, but said, "Yeah, it really is something else down here. I needed this little vacation way more than I thought."

"Amen to that. You should try sitting in a cubicle and taking phone calls all day long."

Jackie thought about how she'd do in a job like that. _Jackie Burkhart's no quitter, but I'd probably send a phone through a wall within a week!_

As she looked out at Eric Forman bobbing like a cork, she found herself thinking about what it would be like to have to put up with him on a daily basis. Jackie pictured him playing with G.I. Joe's at his desk, or pretending that his stapler was a lightsaber. She'd probably be stuck rolling her eyes whenever he talked about his beloved Star Wars, or some other geeky thing.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that's exactly what she'd done for a big chunk of her life. Jackie had grown up in the scrawny kid's basement, and he was tied to nearly every fond memory she had.

Jackie hated to admit it to herself, but her long-time secret "friend" had always provided the glue for when her life started to crack, even if he didn't know it himself.

"Hey. Earth to Jackie. Did you hear what I said?" Megan was eyeing her curiously.

Jackie snapped out of her daze and looked over at the charming woman. "Sorry, I must've zoned out for a second. What were you saying?"

Megan started to speak, but then looked out to where her petite friend had been looking. "Were you checking out Eric? Not that I blame you, but I didn't think he'd be your type."

"Excuse me? Checking out Eric Forman? You must be joking! I was just lost in thought, that's all." Jackie blushed at the accusation, but Megan let out a friendly laugh.

Megan looked out toward Eric, who had floated a bit further from the beach. "Like I said, Jackie, I don't blame you. Eric's a pretty nice guy. He's always saying something funny, and he's never been the least bit crude to me. Besides, he's not exactly bad to look at either."

Jackie was more than a little surprised by the unexpected praise for him.

 _xXxXx_

"Hey, Eric!" Eric turned his head toward the voice to see Mitch wading toward the beach with Hillary whispering in his ear.

"We… uh, we're gonna go back to the hotel for a while. I've gotta make a long-distance call, if you know what I mean." Mitch shot his friend an exaggerated wink as Hillary took his hand and rushed him out of the water.

Eric couldn't help but laugh and wave at the quickly retreating couple. Mitch reminded him of Kelso in more than a few ways, but particularly in his unashamed enthusiasm for "doing it".

 _I guess some things will never change._

Intimacy hadn't been at the top of Eric's list of priorities since things with Donna blew up in his face. He'd thrown himself in to his new insurance job whole-heartedly, hardly noticing that the old basement gang split up without much commotion. The days of sneaky sex, hazy circles, and ruthless burns were replaced with phone calls, water coolers, and cubicles.

"It hasn't been all bad, though," he said aloud, narrowly avoiding a mouthful of saltwater.

Tiny fish were darting between his legs as Eric wiggled his toes in the sand. A warm breeze had picked up and was tossing his hair around as he watched the small fish swim in perfect unison. Eric noticed other fish, varying in size and color, swimming in and out of view around him. He thought that whatever he'd missed out on after Donna left just had to be worth it. This place really was paradise, and he wasn't about to sit around and let it pass him by too.

 _xXxXx_

"So you two must be pretty close, huh?" Jackie asked, finding herself increasingly curious about Megan's opinion of Eric.

Megan looked up at the sky as she thought about what words to use. "You know, I wouldn't say we're that close. Before we ended up being roommates here, he and I had hardly had any one-on-one conversations. I learned more about him when you talked about your friends than he's ever told me."

"Really?" That wasn't exactly the answer Jackie expected. "I assumed he'd have been making sure everyone knew just how depressed he was after Donna left. It's clear I was more than a little wrong. The Eric Forman I remember didn't exactly go around casually rubbing lotion into women's shoulders."

Jackie lowered her sunglasses so Megan could see her playful wink. Megan realized she was talking about her and Eric from the day before. "Then what was he really like?"

"He was just… there. When everything else felt like it was going in a million directions at once. And then he was gone and everything kinda fell apart. I don't really know how to put it."

Jackie struggled to explain what she meant. She started drawing circles in the sand as she attempted to fill Megan in on a few of the details of Eric's life that she had omitted in her earlier stories from the basement. While she naturally added details about herself to keep things interesting, she told her new friend all about his love for the girl-next-door. Megan listened intently as Jackie described a relationship that had more ups and downs than a Six Flags roller-coaster.

Megan was told about about how Eric had hung on to Donna even when he was getting walked all over. Jackie admitted that it was really clear in hindsight, but the two of them had seemed like a perfect match at the time. Megan shook her head and groaned when she was told about the rocky engagement and the wedding that never happened. Both women ended up staring out at the ocean as Jackie described Eric's grand plan to run off to Africa for a year, even mentioning her phone call to him just before he left.

"So that's the Eric Forman I knew. He was such a dweeb, but he was always there when someone needed him." Jackie had been watching him for a while as he moved closer to the beach and appeared to be watching fish swim around.

Megan peered at Jackie thoughtfully, studying her with big brown eyes. "I'm surprised you two weren't better friends. Everything you've told me makes it sound like you would've gotten along if you both weren't so focused on who you were dating."

"I don't know about all that, Meg. But I guess he's the only person from that whole group who really gets what it's like to give everything to someone and have them just throw it away." Jackie rolled over onto her back and settled into a comfortable position to catch some more rays.

 _And he's the only other one who ever cared about having a solid, committed relationship…_

 _xXxXx_

The sun had moved overhead, and Eric was starting to regret not eating during breakfast. His lone cup of coffee didn't do much to keep his stomach from growling as he shuffled back toward the beach. Eric had left his watch in the hotel room when he stepped out for a walk, but he guessed that it was now well into the afternoon and hoped he could at least get a late lunch.

Megan and Jackie were still tanning on towels from the hotel, and Eric briefly considered side-stepping them completely on his way back to the hotel. However, he had decided during his swim that he'd put the awkwardness of the morning behind him, and he caught the two ladies' attention.

"I sure hope you two haven't been lying here too long. It'd be a shame for you to look like lobster for the rest of the trip." Megan and Jackie both rolled over at the sound of Eric's voice, and looked up to see him still dripping saltwater as he stood before them.

"I'll have you know that I've never gotten a sunburn in my life." Jackie grinned with pride at the fact.

Eric gave her a knowing look. "It must be pretty hard to burn the devil herself."

Megan couldn't help but laugh at Eric's comment and the shocked look on Jackie's face. Jackie sent him her classic glare, but she knew how to appreciate a harmless burn like that.

"Are you heading back to the hotel, too? We saw your pal Mitch practically running that way a while ago." Megan asked.

"Yeah, I was thinking about heading back and grabbing some lunch. And I may have kinda forgotten to bring a towel…" He waved his arms as if to display his damp state.

The ladies got to their feet and gathered up their towels. Jackie thrust hers toward him and said in a friendly tone, "Here. You can borrow mine, I suppose. Unless you're afraid of my devil germs getting on you."

Eric saw her grin as he thanked her and took the towel. He threw it over his shoulders and started walking back up the sandy path toward the hotel as the two slightly pink women joined him on either side.

 _xXxXx_

The three of them ate a quick lunch of fish and rice and, with none of the other group members in sight, decided to head back to their rooms to rest. As Jackie watched Megan and Eric head toward the door she'd slid a note under the previous night, she turned to climb the stairs to get to her room on the second floor. As she turned the silver doorknob and entered the cool hotel room, she pulled the big sunglasses from her eyes and set them on the small table to the left of the door.

Jackie kicked off her simple sandals and ran her fingers through her dark hair. Lying in the sun had sapped her energy, and she decided that a cool shower would be just the thing to rejuvenate her. As she stood in the quaint bathroom and waited for the shower's temperature to adjust, her mind wandered to her plans for the rest of the week.

 _Who'd have thought I'd end up hanging out with Eric Forman and his coworkers? This isn't exactly what I had in mind for my vacation in Paradise, but it's been good so far._

She ran her hand under the thin streams of water and decided the water was nice and cool how she liked it. As Jackie stepped into the colorfully-tiled shower, she began to plan out her outfit for the evening in her head and wondered what the group would be getting into next.

 _First thing's first, I've got to get my hands on a nice piña colada!_


	7. I've Got You

_**AN:**_ Better late than never, right? Thanks to encouragement from a few of you, I decided to power through a bit of a dry spell and keep this little story going.

 _xXxXx_

Eric looked around the dark wooden table at all of the slightly sun-kissed faces. It was nice to be away from the monotony of Wisconsin and out from under the shadow of his former relationship. While spending a year on another continent had its share of enjoyable moments, it had just been a way to run from the rut Eric had been stuck in. Soaking up some sun in the Bahamas, on the other hand, was proving the be the kind of escape he didn't see himself regretting.

The conversations were in high gear and Eric contributed plenty in between bites of grilled shrimp and vegetables. Even though he was once again face to face with Jackie, the two managed to share more than a few words with each other.

Mr. Kirkland cleared his throat to get the attention of the group. "I don't know if there are any anglers at the table, but I took it upon myself to book a little offshore fishing trip for the day after tomorrow. If any of you want to go, you're more than welcome."

Mrs. Kirkland pulled a pink flyer out of her purse and passed it around the table. When it made its way to Eric, he saw it was a flyer for the fishing boat the Kirkland's had booked.

 _Come Fishing In Beautiful Blue Water_

 _On The_

' _Second Chance'._

 _You Won't Be Disappointed!_

 _Interesting name for a boat_ , Eric thought as he passed the sheet of paper across the table to Jackie. The brunette's eyes scanned the page and Eric noticed a smirk come across her lips before she handed it off.

After everyone had a chance to look over the flyer, Mr. Kirkland spoke up once again. "So what do you say? Any of you feel like heading out on the water for a day?"

 _xXxXx_

Admittedly, Jackie didn't know much of anything about fishing, let alone fishing in the ocean. But everyone else had seemed up for it, so why shouldn't she step up to the challenge? _Even Eric wants to go, though its probably just because he was drooling all over himself about Megan,_ Jackie thought.

The group had all nearly returned to their food when Eileen and Marsha, the giggly receptionists, spoke up.

"So, we don't know if you guys heard about this, but apparently our hotel is having a dance night tomorrow night. They even have a DJ!" Eileen spoke emphatically, causing her blonde curls to bounce on her shoulders.

Once again, everybody at the table perked up at the idea and started chatting about the dance night. Jackie noticed Mitch give Eric a knowing wink and then nod his head toward Megan. The table suddenly felt a little more lonely as she thought about being the odd one of the bunch.

Megan leaned over toward Jackie and asked, "Do you think you'll be hitting the dance floor with all of us? It sounds like it could be a lot of fun."

"I might come for a little bit. I just don't think I have a good dancing outfit," Jackie lied unconvincingly.

Megan raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Don't you worry about that. I'm sure we can find something for you to slip into."

The light conversation around the table continued a while longer before dying down completely, and Jackie sullenly made her way back to her room with a fruity concoction in her hand.

 _What's the point of going dancing when everyone has a partner except me?_

 _xXxXx_

Steam rolled out of the bathroom as Eric emerged from the shower, making sure his towel was securely wrapped around his waist. He mentally scolded himself for not bringing clothes into the bathroom with him. As he hurried to grab some boxers and a shirt, Megan looked up from her book and chuckled at him.

"You're in quite a hurry, Eric. I'm almost worried you'll move too fast and make that towel fly up." She laughed again, seeing the color flood Eric's face.

"Uh… I'll, um, try to keep that from happening." _That's the best reply you've got, Forman?_

"Relax. I'm just teasing. You're not the only one who's ever been caught with nothing but a towel on. Now, get back in there and get dressed so we can talk about tomorrow night." She shooed him back to the bathroom.

A few moments later, Eric came back out sporting a Luke Skywalker t-shirt and pajama pants. He climbed into bed and propped himself up on a pillow.

Megan closed her copy of _The Scarlet Pimpernel_ and placed it on the nightstand. "So are we still on for tomorrow?"

Eric didn't have a clue what she was talking about. "What? What do you mean?"

"When we were riding in the limo, you said you'd go dancing with me." She ran her fingers through her hair as she spoke.

 _Damn, I didn't think she would actually hold me to that!_ "Of course we're still on for tomorrow! Are you kidding?" Eric tried his best to act casual.

"Good. I'm looking forward to it. I just hope you won't laugh at me when you realize I've got two left feet!"

"You can't be any worse than I am," Eric said with a laugh. "I haven't been dancing in quite a while. But hey, even if we do get out there and look foolish, we can always just grab some drinks and laugh at everyone else!"

Megan let out big yawn. "You know what, Eric? That doesn't sound like a half bad plan. But for now, I think it's time we get some rest. I'll see you bright and early! Goodnight, Eric." Megan gave him a smile before turning off the bedside lamp and rolling over.

"Goodnight, Megan." Eric rolled over too, left alone to think about the upcoming dance.

 _xXxXx_

Jackie had been out on the beach for nearly two hours when everyone else started making their way out. She wasn't normally an early riser, but something about the cool sea breeze made her want to spend every possible moment outside. As the other members of the group came into view, Jackie took note of who all was present. There were Eileen and Marsha, practically joined at the hip and already chattering to themselves. Next were Eric and Megan, both looking fairly rested. They both waved in Jackie's direction before continuing toward the water. Last to show up were Mitch and Hillary, arms were wrapped around each others' waists.

As Jackie watched everyone talking and bobbing up and down in the water, she couldn't help but feel like the odd one out again. Sure, she'd gotten along with them fine so far. But would their trip really be any different if she wasn't there? Jackie was so used to always getting attention, either from the people she worked with or from guys who thought they had a chance with her, that it was weird for her to be on the sidelines with these people.

She was snapped out of her thoughts and back to reality when she heard someone calling her. "Hey, Jackie! Are you just going to lay there, or are you going to join us out here?"

Jackie looked up to see Eric looking at her expectantly. Confused, she replied, "I'm not sure. The water looks pretty rough. I think I'll just stay up here."

She wasn't lying. The waves coming in did look more forceful than they had been. It may not have been Jackie's only reservation about going out there, but Eric didn't have to know that.

Eric called to her again. "Oh come on, Burkhart! What's really the problem? Is the water going to make you melt?"

 _Eric Forman does not get to be a smart-ass to me!_ "Fine! I'll come out there. But you better watch it, nerd!"

Jackie stood up and dusted the sand off the backs of her thighs before slowly walking to the edge of the water. Her first few steps felt clumsy as her heels sank into the powdery sand, but she quickly regained her balance. Each stride looked more graceful and effortless.

The turquoise water swiftly slid toward her, and receded just as quickly, leaving behind shimmering foam and the occasional exposed shell on the wet sand. Jackie's footing here was sure, and the nearly transparent water looked inviting. She stepped in to her ankles. Then to her waist. Then to her chest.

Jackie hadn't realized it, but Eric had moved toward her as she stepped into the water. To her surprise, she was actually having a good time bobbing along with the rhythm of the waves. Jackie even had to stifle a giggle or two. The waves were a little rougher than she had originally thought, and her hair was wetter than she wanted, but the thrill of being out here in the water was totally worth it.

Worth it up until Jackie got a little careless and took her eyes off of the incoming waves, that is. She hadn't been able to react fast enough as a particularly strong wave crashed into her back, sending her tumbling forward under the surface of the water. Instinctively, Jackie opened her eyes and immediately felt a painful stinging sensation. A mouthful of salt-water also proved to be unpleasant. Disoriented by the shock, Jackie felt like she was underwater for an eternity when she felt a pair of sturdy arms wrap around her and pull her up.

Jackie's eyes were still clenched as she struggled to gain her balance, unintentionally fighting against whoever held her. She felt herself being pulled in close to her rescuer, and only realized it was in fact Eric Forman who had plucked her from the water when he started to speak.

"It's okay," he said gently, but loud enough for her to hear. "It's alright. I've got you, you're okay."

She blinked the salty water from her eyes and found herself pressed to Eric's chest, which she noticed was a lot less bony than she remembered. Jackie could feel his hands firmly cradle her back.

"Can you hear me, Jackie?"

When she looked up, her eyes met his and she could hardly form a coherent thought.

"Um… uh, yeah. I think I'm okay," she sputtered, still catching her breath. She was having a hard time processing how she'd gone from having fun in the water, to being completely disoriented, to having her head pressed into Eric Forman's chest.

She watched as Eric gave her a contemplative look before responding. "Well, if you say so. What do you say we head back up to the beach and just relax for a little bit, huh? I'm sure we could both use a breather after that."

Eric began to pull away from Jackie, and she was surprised that she didn't want him to let go. The embrace had been completely comforting, but Jackie couldn't manage any words of protest as he let go and led her back out of the water.

 _xXxXx_

They'd spent quite a bit of time at the beach that day, and it was becoming evident by the newly red hue in everyone's skin. Eric had found a great deal of amusement at watching Jackie eventually head out into the waves again. He'd spent some time trying to see if he could make a sand-castle version of the Death Star, but Jackie just happened to "accidentally" step on it.

After the sun had sufficiently sapped the energy out of everyone, they all collectively decided to head back to the hotel and get cleaned up for the night ahead. Eric collected his towel and caught up with Megan and Jackie, who were walking together ahead of him. By the time he had reached them, he heard Jackie tell Megan that she would probably just be turning in for the evening.

"Don't tell me you're going to be a stick in the mud, Jackie." She turned around to see that he had been walking behind them.

Jackie scoffed at him and replied, "Oh please! You know that I'm _always_ the life of any event I show up to, and this little dance party would be no different. It just so happens that I'm tired from wrestling with those damn waves, so I'm going to get my beauty rest."

Eric scanned the petite brunette's features as Jackie made her snarky remark in that shrill voice he remembered all too well from their basement days together. He noticed how her eyes had narrowed, and how her nose had been pointed up just bit higher. But Eric also noticed how the sun brought out the slightest hint of freckles under her eyes, and how her damp, wavy hair was draped perfectly on her shoulders. If Jackie was still talking, Eric didn't notice. He did, however, notice the way her chest rose and fell with each breath and how her towel was wrapped tightly enough around her waist to accentuate the curve of her hips.

When Eric snapped out of his daze, he was watching Jackie walk away toward the stairs to her room. He waved to Megan as she headed to their room, and decided to hop in the pool to get some of the sand and salt off of himself. After leaning on the edge of the pool and relaxing for a bit, Eric heard what sounded like a deranged war cry and a second later saw Mitch launch himself into the pool. Eric wiped water from his face as Mitch swam up.

"What's up, Eric? You excited for tonight? It's gonna be killer, dude." Mitch's enthusiasm went unmatched by Eric.

"I don't know, man," Eric replied. "I think Megan has some pretty high expectations for my abilities on the dance floor. I'd rather not disappoint her. Hell, I'll probably just be holding down the bar most of the night."

Mitch let out a hearty laugh. "Oh come on, Forman! I wasn't born yesterday. I see those googly-eyes you get when she's around. There's no way you won't be following her around like a lost puppy."

"I do not!" Eric let out in a high-pitched voice as the two men made their way to the pool's stairs. "Besides, even if I did, I highly doubt she'd have any interest in my googly-eyes."

Mitch shook his head. "Whatever you say, man. Then why don't you go ask our resident news lady to go with you? You two go way back, right? She's quite the looker, if you know what I mean."

 _Yeah, she is…_

"We'll see. Either way, I'll catch up with you tonight."

 _xXxXx_

To Eric's dismay, he hadn't brought a fancy dancing outfit with him. He made do with a light blue Hawaiian shirt and a pair of khaki pants. It may not have been the most fashionable outfit ever, but he couldn't help but feel a little cool in his laid-back attire. Megan, on the other hand, looked stunning as usual in a white romper.

Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, Eric grabbed some of the the hotel stationery and a pen off of the dresser and started to jot out a quick note. He was hunched over with his back to Megan, hoping to give the impression that he was tying his shoes or something as he scrawled his name on the opposite side of the note and tucked it in his pocket. Eric got up and made his way to the door before turning around and announcing his exit.

"Well, I think I'm going to go for a little walk before I head over to the dance. Maybe I can get my feet warmed up enough to not trip over them all night."

Megan chuckled at him before waving goodbye. Eric slipped out of the room and pulled the note from his pocket. He hadn't technically been lying to Megan. He was, in fact, going for a walk. Eric just hadn't told her where he was going. There was a serious level of uncertainty running through his mind, and he considered turning around a couple of times. Eventually, Eric made his way to the hotel's second floor. It dawned on him that he wasn't entirely sure what room number he was looking for, but he had committed to his goal. There was no going back at this point.

After finally deciding on a door and talking himself into doing what he'd come up here to do. As he crouched down to slide his note under the door, Eric nearly fell over when it opened suddenly. All he could do was look up with wide eyes.

"I was starting to wonder when you'd show up, Eric."

 _xXxXx_

 _ **AN:**_ Again, thank you to everyone who has already given me useful and encouraging feedback and criticism. Feel free to review and let me know what you all think about this latest installment :)


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